Gift vision by sponsoring part cost of a cataract surgery

Hulladi Gowda is a 70-year-old man from Mandya, Karnataka. He worked in the fields around his home every day to earn for his family. They still struggled to make ends meet. When both his sons left to make a living for themselves, he became the only earning member of his family. **He had to look after his wife and his daughter with a failing eyesight.** He did not know how he would continue to work and earn enough for the day.One morning he heard an announcement about a free eye camp in his village. At the camp he was **diagnosed with cataract.** He became worried as he knew that he could not afford the treatment. His miracle came through when he was **identified by Sankara Eye Hospital for a free surgery.** After the surgery, he could see clearly and do the work he had to do to put food on the table. He still has many struggles but being able to look after himself and his family gives him the security he needs to keep going.

While cataract can be treated with a simple surgery. evidence suggests that lack of money is a major barrier to the uptake of cataract surgery among the poor. 60% of the poor who are affected by cataract turn blind due to financial constraints. Poverty deprives them of access to healthcare and bad health deprives them of an income. Sankara Eye Foundation attempts to provide free cataract surgeries. This program runs in rural areas around Bangalore in different states. Majority of the patients in this program are underprivileged adults who come from rural areas about 250 kms away from the hospital. They are identified through eye-camps and selected for surgery after required preoperative tests. The program provides them with free surgery and treatment for three days, spectacles, stay, food and transport to the villages.Support this program to sponsor a cataract surgery and save a patient from going blind forever.

The Mantra behind Shankara is 'Thamasoma Jyothir Gamaya '- Lead us from darkness to Light Sankara Eye Foundation is a US-based non-profit organization that works toward eliminating curable blindness in India. Sankara brings quality timely eye care to the doorsteps of rural India through its award-winning Gift of Vision rural outreach program. Equipped with most modern facilities & knowledgeable dedicated specialists and highly motivated staff, the SEF is committed to clinical excellence, personalized patient care, and best eye care services at all times to all our patients.One of the unique features of the Sankara Eye Hospitals is the self-sustainability model. The hospitals work on 80:20 model where 20% of the paid surgeries fund 80% of the free surgeries. This model ensures that hospitals fund themselves once the self-sufficiency is reached. Today, Sankara is the largest free eye care provider in the world and has performed over 1.5 million free eye surgeries. SEF's mission is to realize the goal of "Vision 20/20 by the year 2020." - perform 1 million free eye surgeries annually by the year 2010.